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One In Five Internet Users Still Block Ads All the Time, Study Finds

Although heavy internet users are more likely to use software that blocks advertisements, they are also significantly more likely than the average person — at 0.9%
vs. 18% — to say advertising is important to their purchasing behavior, according to a new study.

The Kantar Media study, called Dimension,
was conducted between November 30 and December 12, 2017 among 1,000 Americans and 5,000 in Brazil, China, France and the U.K.

Across the board, poor creative and lack of relevance to the
consumer are the main reasons that people still block ads from serving up in their browser and on the web page. Other reasons include brands that continually serve the same ad even after the consumer
buys the product in a physical store.

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Another issue is that 72% of consumers say they see the same ad repeatedly. Some 56% say they often see online ads for products they have already
purchased. About 63% said they would like more control over the ads they see. And consumers now understand the “trade-off” between data and personal benefits gained.

Overall, one
in five connected adults claim to use ad blockers all the time, and about 33% say they use an ad blocker sometimes. This year, the proportion of 45- to-64-year-olds who block ads was almost at the
same level as for 18- to-34-year-olds. Some 44% of those who block ads said blocking ads is not dependent on the device used.

Blocking ads is less of an issue in China compared with the
U.S.

Data from the U.S. shows that heavy internet users are more likely — at 57.3% vs. 40.7% — than the average consumer to agree that tailored ads are more interesting than other
ads. Only 26.7% think more advertising should be specifically targeted toward them.

They also are more likely — at 40.9% vs. 26.2% — to
agree that providing websites with personal information is worthwhile in order to see more relevant advertising.

Overall, 71% of those in the U.S. feel advertisers are doing a better job of
communicating with them, although that number slightly declined this year, compared with last year. Some 65% think paid messages should be clearly labeled, and 39% think advertisers should use a
variety of media to get their message across.

Ironically, ads shown online are less popular than ads displayed in the same medium but in a more traditional format.

Some 33% of the
people responding to the survey claim they enjoy ads on TV as viewed on a TV set more than they do with online forms of media at 25%. The same holds true for printed magazines versus ads in online
print at 32% vs. 26%.

I have very occasionally seen advertising that I enjoy or find relevant. Rarely is a better word. On ESPN coverage of the World Series of Poker this past week, the exact same ads run every break, having a boomerang effect on my intent to purchase.

Hi Laurie, I know I sound like a wet bag about online ads. But there is a common problem in why the ads are being blocked. The public do not like boring, dull, static banner ads. That's the short answer. People like love entertaining 30 second TV/video. People tune in to the Super Bowl just to watch the new ads. The ad industry wants the cheapest way possible to get their message online in part because they simply don't want to spend money on videos and higher quality forms of ads that include some entertaining values.